Disclaimer: I don't own any of the ideas presented in the Harry Potter series or the characters and settings. Everything is accredited to the wonderful J.K. Rowling except the plot!

A/N: Ok, so here's the second chapter…it's been since February since I published this. I got caught up with schoolwork and especially since the new Harry Potter book just came out, I haven't kept up with it. Assume that Sirius either 1) never fell through the veil, or 2) did fall through the veil, but was not dead and he came back somehow…however you want to think of it. Please review and tell me how I could improve or if you liked it!

kel – thanks for the review. I can't remember where I found her name since I found it like a year ago, but I think it has something to do with constellations.

toriisen – hey! I'm glad you liked it! Her name is pronounced "add-HAIR-uh" and her last name is "BELL-vuh-deer." I was wondering if someone would ask me that. J

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Chapter 2: A Past and Present

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Several days passed since Adhara and Sirius' encounter with each other and both of them seemed to think it was just a coincidence. Sirius hadn't returned to see her because he didn't think it was his place. She was the one who had left the first time, after all…wasn't it within his right to disappear without a trace this time?

Sirius woke up and decided that he would go into Hogsmeade that day since he didn't have anything better to do. The second he stepped into the busy town, it quieted a bit and everyone seemed to freeze when they saw him. He tried to ignore it, but then realized that it may take awhile for everyone to accept the fact that he'd been innocent all along, so he went the only place he felt welcome…back to Hogwarts.

He entered through the huge doors to the ancient castle and made his way mindlessly back to Adhara's classroom. He opened the door and didn't see anyone inside. Just as he was about to close the door, he heard a voice say, "Come in…I'm over here."

Sirius blinked and approached where he'd heard the voice. He looked around the student desks and say Adhara lying stretched out on the floor with her face upward. He looked around and saw a fan blowing on her. She wasn't in robes, but in a pair of work-out pants and a t-shirt. He hair looked like it had been in a tighter ponytail, but since she'd rested her head on the ground, a few strands had fallen out and the ponytail was much looser. Sirius cleared his throat and Adhara looked over at him.

"Oh, hello there," she said awkwardly as she pulled herself to her feet.

"Just work out?" Sirius asked.

"Yeah. I went for a run around the grounds for a bit," she replied, suddenly more conscious of how embarrassing she must look.

Sirius smiled and pointed to the fan, "You must've run pretty hard to have to use that. Is that for class?"

"What?" Adhara said, disoriented.

"The fan."

"Oh, yeah. It's supposed to show them what muggles have to use to cool down, but it's actually really useful. They also have these water bottle things that have mini fans attached to them and you can spray yourself with water as you fan yourself off. Those are a lot of fun to play with," she added, digging for the water bottle fan in one of her many boxes she still hadn't unpacked.

"Are you going to move in sometime soon?" Sirius asked, clearly amused that she was living out of boxes as he saw another box full of robes like the one she'd worn when they'd reunited.

Adhara laughed as she pulled out the water bottle fan and said, "I know it's horrible. I promise my clothes and me are clean. I just procrastinate too much."

As she handed him the fan, she waved her wand and it filled with water. "Try it out," she told him.

That he did and he seemed to be fascinated by it. "This is really clever," he said.

"I know! It's the bonuses to having at least one muggle parent," Adhara said. "My dad always got me a ton of that stuff when I was younger and I'm such a pack-rat that I never threw any of it away. It would go for years in my closet and I wouldn't ever throw anything out. Turns out I can use most of it now."

"Yeah, I remember you bringing some of it to school with you," Sirius laughed. "You chased Severus around with one of your super soakers, didn't you?"

Adhara smiled broadly at the memory. "Yes, yes I did, but that was because you told me to!" she added a bit defensively.

"I recall telling you to do a lot of things that you never did."

"Because most of them were things that could've gotten us expelled."

"True, but they would have been fun. You have to admit that."

"I never denied that they would have been fun, but we would have gotten into so much trouble that I couldn't afford to get into."

"Neither of us could."

"Too true," she smiled. "I missed this place so much."

"That's what happens when you disappear from your home without a trace," Sirius retorted before he could stop himself. He knew immediately that he should have kept him mouth shut.

The smile faded slightly from her face and her eyes darkened a bit, but she didn't break eye contact. "I know," she said quietly. "I wish I hadn't left."

Sirius could feel the stupidity sinking in. Why did he have to say anything? Now they were going to stand in awkward silence just staring at each other.

"Is there a reason you stopped by?" Adhara said, trying to force herself to remain friendly and cordial.

"Not really. I went to Hogsmeade today and it got dead silent when they saw me and it made me realize I should thank you for not being…discriminatory…against me the other day. It made me feel like a human being for once in a long time."

"You don't have to thank me for that," Adhara said, clearly taken aback that he was thanking her for something so simple. "You're not a monster, Sirius Black."

Sirius smiled. He knew she used "monster" as an exaggeration, but that's how most people made him feel. He knew her sarcasm too well and instantly appreciated her use of it right then.

"Well, I'll let you go clean up then," Sirius said. "Maybe I'll see you again sometime."

Adhara nodded and watched as he made his way for the door.

"Sirius, wait," she said.

He turned around and she walked over to him. "Look," she said. "I'm sorry about earlier. I didn't mean to close you off. I just – "she stopped. "It's nothing against you, it's just – " she sighed and looked at Sirius regretfully. "I'm sorry."

Sirius nodded, "Me too. It just slipped out. I didn't mean to bring it up."

They stood there in silence for a minute before Adhara spoke again, "You know, if you're not busy tomorrow, I could really use some help emptying those boxes. Are you up to it?"

"You mean, you're not going to wait until the students start coming in to get your act together?" Sirius asked in mock seriousness.

"Ha-ha, you're so funny," Adhara glared. "And no, I'm going to do it early so I can have the summer off."

"Right. What time do you need me here?" Sirius asked, agreeing to help out.

"Just whenever you wake up. I'm a late sleeper, so at least not before 11."

"Ok, see you tomorrow then," Sirius said as he left the classroom.

Adhara watched as he left, then went up to her chamber and showered. She dressed and went back to her classroom and tried to get her things in some kind of order before she went to get some dinner, but eventually gave up and decided to leave it all the way it was for the next day.

She wasn't sure why she was excited about tomorrow, but she was. It was a different kind of excitement: the kind she used to get before she and Sirius did something stupid or fun. The great thing she remembered about their relationship at Hogwarts was that it didn't matter how stupid their hoaxes were, but the fun part was carrying them out together, which is why it had killed her to leave him without a trace. He had been her best friend, even if she hadn't been his.

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A/N: REVIEW!